Respect the work: the importance of openness and flexibility in collaborative projects
My first published writing was for the online Melbourne city guide ThreeThousand. I wrote about the surreal experience of becoming a back-up dancer for New Orleans bounce act Big Freedia (a story for another time!) and then-editor Penny Modra had asked me to become a regular contributor to the publication. The first piece I was commissioned to write was the opening of a new cafe in Carlton. Prior to meeting the business owner, I was incredibly nervous as I’d never conducted a formal interview before and felt like a total imposter. But at the meeting, the first thing I was struck by was the young owner of the cafe’s own nerves. She had a slightly frenetic energy and her eyes darted around while she answered my questions. The second thing I noticed – as words fell excitedly out of her mouth – was her unwavering passion for filtered coffee. It was then that I had a realisation I haven’t forgotten since: the article I was about to write was supremely important to this woman and the hopes and dreams she had for her business.
This was an important moment for me because what I’d thought of as a small, relatively insignificant article was potentially a piece of key publicity to this young business owner. I was able to remove my own ego and feelings of inadequacy about writing the article and focus on conveying the genuine passion, hard work and vision involved in the opening of this business. After the interview, I vowed to always remember that as a writer and editor, while I might work on projects that aren’t necessarily completely aligned with my interests, when other people are involved I must respect what is at stake for them.
I was reminded of this experience during the recent RMIT photobook collaborations. During my first meeting with photographer Rebecca Chan, her commitment to the project was obvious from the way she spoke about the subject, Tina Thorburn, who was clearly a dear friend to her. I was lucky – like I said before, editors and writers won’t always have the luxury of working on material that interests them – and I was fortunate enough to be working on a topic that I already knew a little about and that interested me. I was determined to support Rebecca in achieving her vision for the book the best way I could. Here are some tips I learned along the way for editors and writers to keep in mind when working on other people’s projects.
1. Meet the collaborator face-to-face as soon as possible
Email is notorious for being a medium that lacks tone, and a very friendly person may not necessarily convey their personality in text. Dynamics can quickly get off to a bad start through simple misunderstandings. It’s also important to keep in mind that people from a non-writing background may not be as aware of how they use language. For others, English could be their second language. This is why I recommend setting up a face-to-face meeting as quickly as possible to get a gauge of the collaborator’s personality, desires for the project and angle. If an in-person meeting is not possible, Skype or a telephone call is a good alternative.
2. Research your subject/subject matter
How can you properly support a project as a writer or editor if you don’t have a fundamental understanding of what the project is about? Before your first meeting with your collaborator, write a list of questions you have about the project. Don’t be self-conscious about not knowing everything immediately – the collaborator will be impressed that you’re so invested and willing to learn. Another advantage of this is that your questions may open up a new perspective or angle the collaborator hadn’t considered previously.
3. Always communicate
We all lead very busy lives and get caught up in distractions or problems we hadn’t anticipated. In my experience as a freelance writer (and in life!) I’ve found people generally very understanding as long as the lines of communication are kept open. It’s not constructive to simply drop off the radar. If you’re running behind, explain the situation to your collaborator and give them a realistic prediction of when you can deliver what they require.
4. Be open to possibility but able to let go
One of my teachers, Clare Strahan, speaks of the tension between ‘thick skin, thin skin’ as a writer. You must be vulnerable enough to open yourself up to possibility, but strong enough to cope with what could feel like rejection of your ideas. As somebody editing another person’s work, think laterally, but never forget that you’re primarily there to support their vision. You may not agree with their approach, so feel free to gently offer your perspective, but know when to pull back because ultimately part of the collaborative process is compromise. This is one of the challenges of being an editor – you may invest a lot of time an energy into something that doesn’t turn out quite how you would have executed it on your own terms.
5. Celebrate your achievements!
Finally, once the project is completed, make time to celebrate your achievements, whether at a formal event launch or a quiet drink or coffee. It’s important to take a moment to reflect upon the hard work you’ve completed and end on a positive note, as well as show the person you’ve worked with that you valued the project. Who knows – you may work on something else with this collaborator in the future!
